Bernadette Greene-Placentia, a Democratic congressional candidate in Arizona, revealed she was raped while repairing a campaign sign in Sun City on August 14. She said two men attacked her in a parking lot, striking her head before assaulting her. After losing consciousness, she woke with one attacker on top of her and recalled kicking them until they fled.
She initially did not report the assault due to embarrassment and withdrew from her campaign for two days. On August 31, she filed a police report and shared her story with the Phoenix New Times, stating she could no longer remain silent as it would make her a hypocrite given her promises to fight for Arizonans. Greene-Placentia expressed concern that her disclosure might overshadow her campaign’s focus on affordability and health care, or be seen as a political stunt in her long-shot bid to unseat Republican incumbent Abraham Hamadeh, who won the district by 13 points in 2024.
Hamadeh responded by urging a thorough investigation and affirming that no American should be victimized in their community. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate, seeking video evidence, though Greene-Placentia said she did not seek medical care, washed her clothes, and showered multiple times after the attack, potentially compromising physical evidence. She described the attackers as white men, one with small feet wearing black boots, and said she could not confirm if the assault was politically motivated.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing